And The Greatest of These is Love
by Must-Have-Books92
Summary: He kissed me. He kissed me with more love and passion than I could ever hope to feel in a lifetime.
1. Chapter 1

_**This is the disclaimer for the WHOLE story: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT!**_

* * *

Chapter One

(Edward's POV)

I groaned as someone jumped on my back. I knew who it was; there was only one person who I knew that was brave enough to do that in order to get me up.

"Daddy! Daddy, wake up! Right now!" my four-year-old daughter, Evelyn, yelled as she continuously jumped up and down on my bed. I stayed still for a moment before leaping up and catching her mid-jump. She shrieked and giggled as I pinned her to the bed ands tickled her. Finally, I stopped and got down from the bed, picking her up as I did.

"Are you hungry this morning, Evelyn?" I asked as we walked to the kitchen.

"I want…pancakes for breakfast!" she said enthusiastically, and I looked at her, eyebrows raised, until she reiterated. "I mean, can we have pancakes for breakfast, please?" she asked, and I nodded.

"Much better. And, yes, we can. And no more waking up daddy like that anymore, okay?" I said as I set her down and started to get out the pots and pans.

"Okay. But, even when I yell, you still don't hear, Daddy. How else am I suppose to wake you up?" she asked, and I chuckled. It was true; I was a heavy sleeper.

"Oh, I'm sure you'll think of something, babe," I told her, and she laughed. Her laugh sounded just like her mother's. I shook my head to dispel that thought and started working on breakfast. I had to hurry; she had to be at school soon, and she couldn't me late. While I made breakfast, I talked with Evelyn, asking about how she liked her new teacher.

"Oh, she's the best! Miss Jenny is so nice!" she said, and then spent the next ten minutes praising her kindergarten teacher. After she had finished eating, she ran up to her room to get dressed, and I also went to go change. Twenty minutes later, I was waiting by the door.

"Evelyn Fionna Cullen! You're better be ready in five, four, three…" I trailed off because she ran down the stairs; backpack in hand, ready to go.

"I'm ready!" she yelled, and I laughed, leaned down and picked her up. We walked outside to my car, and after I buckled her in, I drove her to school.

"Grandma's going to be picking you up today. And then you're going to go over to her house for a while after school, okay?" I explained as I walked her to her room, squatting down so that we were at eye level. "And then I'll pick you up. How about we go out to dinner tonight, hmm? How does that sound?" I asked, and her green eyes went round with excitement. "But, you have to be good for Grandma and Grandpa today, alright?"

"I promise, Daddy," she said, and I gave her a quick hug and stood up.

"I got to go; be good today, Evelyn," I told her.

"I always am, Daddy," she said, and went inside her classroom, running up to her friend Sarah.

"Are you Evelyn's father?" I heard a voice ask, and I turned to see a young woman, perhaps thirty, standing behind me.

"Yes, I'm Edward Cullen," I told her, holding out my hand. She shook it and smiled.

"Well, I'm Jen Miller, or Miss Jenny. I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy teaching your daughter. She's so bright and polite. And she socializes very well with the other children," she explained, and I smiled. Evelyn had always been smart, even when she was two.

"Well, I'm glad she's not any trouble for you. She can be stubborn. She gets it from me," I said, and Jen laughed.

"She's no problem at all. I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy your daughter," she said.

"Oh, well, thank you. But, I have to get to work, so if you'll excuse me," I said, and she nodded and stepped aside so that I could walk past her. I walked back out to my car and drove to downtown Forks, where I owned a small bookstore. I unlocked the doors and got everything ready, flipping the signed over from "CLOSED" to "OPEN". While running a small bookstore in a small town didn't keep me running around all day waiting on customers, it still kept me busy on most days. I was restocking some books when the bell on the front door dinged, announcing that someone had come in. I walked up to the front counter and noticed that it was Charlie Swan, Chief of Police in our small town of Forks, Washington.

"Edward, how're you?" he asked, extending his hand. I stepped forward and shook it. Charlie was a good friend with my parents, Carlisle and Esme Cullen.

"I'm fine Charlie. How're you?" I asked.

"Just fine, just fine. I actually wanted to talk to you about something. My daughter, Bella, is coming to live with me. She'll actually be here tomorrow. I was wondering if you'd maybe consider hiring her to work for you part-time," he explained, and I thought about it. I'd been thinking about hiring someone part-time, actually. Charlie was a friend of my parents, and I trusted that he wouldn't suggest his daughter work for me if she weren't up to it.

"Sure, Charlie. Just tell her to stop by sometime this week and we'll work out the details," I told him, and he smiled, thanking me, and left, leaving me alone with my books. I had opened up this bookstore just two years ago, and it was doing well. It was a home away from home. I smiled slightly to myself before I got back to work. At five o'clock, after a slow day, I locked up and headed to my parent's house to pick up Evelyn. I pulled up in the driveway, and laughed when Evelyn ran out the door to greet me, her blond curls bouncing with every step.

"Daddy! Daddy's here!" she exclaimed, and I hoisted her up and spun her around. My parent's stood in the doorway, watching us with smiles on their faces.

"How was school today, monster?" I asked, walking towards the house.

"I painted a picture today, Daddy! And we read a new story…" she went on and on about her day, making me grin with her excitement. I leaned down and kissed my mother on the cheek as we passed, and I set Evelyn down once we got inside.

"…And then I got star by my name because I got the answer right!" she said happily, and I gave her a high-five.

"That's awesome!" I said, and she ran off to go get her painting. I turned to my parents. "How was she today?" I asked.

"Oh, wonderful, as always. Her teacher said she was very well behaved today, and she had her snack after school," my mom said, and I nodded. "Did Charlie stop by to talk to you today?" she asked, and I nodded again.

"I told him to tell Bella to stop by sometime this week. Where's Alice?" I asked, noticing my eighteen-year-old sister was not among us.

"Oh, you know Alice. Shopping with her friends," Mom explained, waving her hands. I smirked.

"I wonder where she gets it from?" I asked in a teasing tone. "How old it this Bella, anyway?" I asked.

"She's the same age as your sister," my dad said, joining us.

"Eighteen? I was hoping for someone a little more older," I said, and Dad rolled his eyes.

"Edward, you're twenty-two. Fours years is not that much of a difference," he said, and I sighed,

"I suppose you're right; although, I am very mature for twenty-two. After all," I said, stopping when Evelyn ran back into the room. I scooped her up and finished. "I do have the most perfect daughter anyone could ask for," I said, blowing raspberries on her stomach. She squealed and kicked her feet. I stopped and set her down.

"Daddy, can we still go out for dinner?" she asked, looking up at me.

"Were you good today?" I asked, and she nodded emphatically. "All your homework finished?" I asked, and she once again nodded. "Okay. God grab your stuff," I told her, and she raced out of the room again.

"Her birthday's coming up. Do you want to have a party here?" Mom asked, and I nodded.

"Yeah. Sounds good," I said, and I gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek before going in search of Evelyn. After I found her, we left to go eat dinner. When we were done, we went home, where I gave Evelyn a bath and read to her for a while before putting her to bed.

"Goodnight, monster. I love you," I whispered to her as I turned off her light.

"Love you, Daddy," she murmured, already half-asleep. I quietly shut the door and went downstairs, flopping down on the couch to watch some television. I only made it through thirty minutes before I was fighting sleep myself. I walked to my bedroom, stripping off my clothes as I went, and fell into bed. It had been a long day, and I sought the solace of a good night's sleep.

* * *

(Bella's POV)

I sighed as I looked around at my new high school. It was small. Extremely so. And, it was October, middle of the first semester of my senior year. Needless to say, I wasn't exactly thrilled to be here. Don't get me wrong; I loved Charlie. And I was glad to be living with him again. But, I didn't like moving during my senior year of high school. But my mom, Renee, had just gotten remarried. Her new husband, Phil, took her to Europe for an extended stay for their honeymoon. And, even though I was eighteen, and could stay by myself, Renee insisted that I move in with Charlie. So, they get to go hopping around to all the different countries and cities of Europe, and I have Forks, Washington, one of the rainiest places in the continental U.S. A knock on my window made me jump. I looked to see a tiny girl waving at me. I waved slightly back and opened my door.

"Hi!" she said, all bright and bubbly. I bit back a sigh. "I'm Alice Cullen. You're Bella Swan, right?" she asked, and I nodded. Alice was, like I said, tiny. She was no more than five feet tall, and had the body of a ballerina. Her black hair was short and spiky.

"How did you know who I was?" I asked, pulling the strap of my messenger back up onto my shoulder.

"Oh, it's a small school. You stick out like a sore thumb," she said, and I groaned.

"Great. Just what I wanted to happen," I mumbled, walking towards the building.

"Oh, don't worry. You'll be news for about a week, and then someone will cheat on someone, or someone will end up pregnant, and you'll be history," she explained, and I laughed a little. "But, you should sit with us today at lunch," she added, and I nodded absently.

"Okay, sure," I muttered, trying to find the administration office. Alice stopped me and turned me towards a door.

"There's the office. See you at lunch!" she said, skipping off down the hall. Well, she seemed…perky. I shook my head and walked into the office.

"Hi, I'm Bella Swan. I'm starting here today."

* * *

When the bell rang for lunch, I got a little anxious. I know Alice had invited me to sit with her, but she was probably just being nice. So, imagine my surprise when I walk out of my math class to find her waiting for me.

"Oh, hi, Alice," I said, somewhat baffled.

"Did you really think that I would forget? Come on, let's go get lunch," she said, grabbing my hand and pulling me down the hall. We made it to the cafeteria and we waited in line, and after we'd gotten our food, she walked over to a table, and I walked behind her, hating all the stares I was getting and the whispers that followed me.

"Thanks for letting me sit with you today," I said as I sat down, and she waved her hand, brushing it off.

"Don't worry about it. You can always sit with us," she said. She turned to a blonde-haired boy and smiled at him. "Bella, this is Jasper Whitlock. Jasper, Bella Swan," she said, making the introductions.

"Hi, Jasper," I said, and he smiled and dipped his head. If he'd been wearing a hat, he would've tipped it.

"How're you liking our fine school, Bella?" he asked, a slight southern drawl to his voice.

"It's okay. Smaller than what I'm used to," I explained, and just then, more people sat down, and Alice made some more introductions, even though I'd met several of them in my other classes. One boy, Mike, seemed particularly fond of me. Angela seemed really nice, and her boyfriend, Ben, seemed very welcoming. After answering the initial round of questions, where I came from, how I liked it, they all returned to their normal conversations.

"So, are you going to be working anywhere?" Alice asked, and I thought about the job Charlie had lined up for me, at a small bookstore, but I didn't want to jinx it, so I just shrugged noncommittally. "I don't have a job either. Well, unless you count babysitting," she said. Then, the bell rang, and I went off to my next class. By the end of the day, I was anxious to get home, but I knew I had to stop by the bookstore on my way, and I was actually excited about job. I found the store easily, and walked right in. A bell pinged overhead. God, I always hated those stupid bells.

"Be with you in a minute!" I heard a voice shout, and a second later, a pile of books came walking out of the back. I rushed forward to help whoever was carrying them, and as I took several, the face belonging to the person become more visible. He had coppery red hair, and vibrant green eyes. When I saw the rest of his face, I nearly lost my breath. He was…beautiful. He was more so than any other man I'd seen. I was surely making a fool out of myself just standing there, staring at him, but I couldn't help it. Finally, I backed up, taking some of the books with me.

"Sorry, it just looked like you needed some help…" I trailed off, mumbling incoherently. The guy laughed, a deep chuckle, and smiled a gorgeous smile.

"That's okay. I'm actually grateful for the help," he said, and his voice sent shivers down my spine. "I'm Edward Cullen," he added, holding out his hand. Oh, this was Edward? He looked a little young to own a store. He looked no more than twenty-two.

"Oh, I'm Bella Swan," I told him, shaking his hand. He had a brief flicker of surprise cross over his face, but then he smiled again.

"Ah, yes, Bella. Well, have you ever had a job before?" he asked, and I nodded.

"I worked at a grocery store in Phoenix before I moved here," I explained, and he nodded.

"Well, it would just be part-time. A couple hours after school, some Saturdays. That sound alright?" he asked.

"That sounds perfect," I said, and we talked for a little while longer, and it was worked out so that I would start tomorrow. After saying goodbye, I walked back out to my truck, excitement bubbling up inside me. I had a job! And, my boss was gorgeous. And I'd met a couple of really cool people at school today. Maybe this move wouldn't be so bad after all.

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**_So, there's the first chapter of my new story. Edward and Bella have met, and it seems as though Edward has a few secrets. I hope you all enjoyed it, and let me know what you think in a review! I hope everyone has wonderful holidays, and a Happy New Year!_**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

(Edward's POV)

The next morning, I dropped Evelyn off at school, promising to pick her up today and take her to the store. Then I remembered Bella was starting today. I was nervous about it; I didn't think Bella would be awful. In fact, I thought she seemed perfect for the job. I just hadn't ever hired anyone in the two years that I had had the store. It was going to take some getting use to, on both our parts. After I opened the store, I went into my office in the back, leaving the door opened in case anyone came into the store. I paid some bills, looked over invoices of books I had ordered, and made some business calls. I would have to pause every once in a while to help customers, not that I minded. I would've much rather stayed out front the whole day, but part of owning the store was make sure it was run correctly. Then, around three, Bella walked in, the chime of the bell signaling her appearance. I noticed she grimaced as the bell dinged, and I stifled a laugh.

"Hello, Bella," I said, and she smiled.

"Hi, Mr. Cullen," she said, and I rolled my eyes.

"Edward, please," I told her, and she nodded. "Now, I have to go out for a minute, but I'll be back shortly. Let me give you a quick tutorial," I said, and then proceeded to teach her the cash register, and what section of books went where. I left shortly after, already running a little late. When I arrived at the school, Evelyn was sitting outside with her teacher, Miss Jenny, or Jen.

"Daddy, you're late," she pouted as I got out of the car. I chuckled and walked over to her, picking her up and kissing her on the cheek.

"I know, monster. I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you," I told her, and then turned to her teacher. "Thank you for waiting; I'm sorry I'm late," I said, and she smiled.

"It's no problem. Evelyn here is a wonderful girl," she said, winking at Evelyn. I laughed, said goodbye, buckled Evelyn in, and drove back to the store.

"Evelyn, someone's going to be helping me at the store from now on; she started today, and her name is Bella. She's very nice, and I want you to be on your best behavior today, okay?" I explained.

"Okay, Daddy. I will be on my bestest behavior," she said in a serious voice, and I smiled. "Daddy…why don't I have a mommy?" she asked suddenly, and I had to stop myself from slamming on the breaks. I knew that someday she would ask this question, but I just didn't expect it to be quite so soon.

"Why do you ask, monster?" I asked, looking at her in the rearview mirror.

"A couple of boys were making fun of me today, saying I was weird because I don't have a mommy," she said, and I felt my heart break. I quietly swore and took a deep breath. It would've been easier to say her mother died. But she hadn't. She had simply left when Evelyn was a baby. How could I tell my four-year-old daughter that her mother simply didn't want her?

"Evelyn, you do have a mommy. She just…she just decided that she had to go away for a while," I said, mentally kicking myself. I should've been more prepared for this.

"Is going to come back?" Evelyn asked in a tiny voice, and I wanted to take her in my arms.

"I don't know, monster. I don't know."

* * *

When we arrived at the store, I unbuckled Evelyn and carried her inside. Bella was at the front counter, reading a book. She looked up as we walked in.

"Oh, hey," she said, her eyes going to Evelyn.

"Are you Bella?" Evelyn asked, walked over to her once I set her down. Bella smiled and kneeled down.

"I am," she said. "And who might you be?" she asked.

"I'm Evelyn Fionna Cullen," she said proudly, and Bella laughed. She held out her hand, and Evelyn shook it.

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Evelyn Fionna Cullen," Bella said.

"Okay, monster. Go do your homework in the back, okay," I told her, handing her backpack to her. She took it and raced off.

"She's a cute little girl," Bella said, watching her run to the back. "Is she your sister?" she asked.

"No, she's my daughter," I explained, and usually when people first hear that, they seemed shocked, or maybe even disapproving. And yes, Bella was a little surprised, I could tell, but not in an obvious way.

"Oh. She has your eyes," she said, and I looked at her. No one, outside family, had ever said that.

"Yes, she does. I also wish that she would've gotten my hair, but instead she got her mother's," I said, and she nodded.

"Well, she's beautiful either way," she murmured, and I looked at her again, and noticed that Bella herself was very beautiful.

"Well, thank you," I said, clearing my throat. "What're you reading?" I asked, nodding towards her book.

"Oh, _Water For Elephants_. It's by Sara Gruen. I love it; it's one of my favorites," She explained, and I nodded.

"I've read it before. I rather enjoyed it," I said, and she smiled. For the next couple of hours, Bella helped customers, all who asked if she was Chief Swan's daughter. I restocked shelves and took inventory. At five-thirty, I closed up the shop.

"Same time tomorrow?" Bella asked as she gathered her bag and put on her jacket.

"Same time," I said, and she smiled.

"Bye Bella!" Evelyn said, waving enthusiastically.

"Bye Evelyn!" Bella said, and walked out the door and to her car.

"Daddy, I like Bella," Evelyn said, I leaned down and scooped her up.

"Oh, you do? Well, I like her too," I said was we walked out. I turned to lock the door, and after that, we went home, where I made dinner for Evelyn and me. She told me all about her day, to which I was glad to listen to. Around eight, she started yawning, and after a quick bath, I put her to bed. I stayed up for a few more hours, just going over things from the store, until I finally called it a night. I checked on Evelyn on my way, and smiled as I looked at her sleeping, hugging her stuffed horse close. She never slept without it. Evelyn was my whole world. She was the best thing that ever happened to me, even if she wasn't planned. She was perfection.

* * *

(Bella's POV)

"Bells? That you?" Charlie asked as I walked through the front door.

"Yeah, Dad, it's me!" I answered. I walked into the living room, and Charlie was sitting on the couch, watching baseball.

"How was your first day?" he asked, and I smiled.

"It was good, Dad. Really good. Thanks for setting it up for me," I said, squeezing his shoulder.

"No problem, Bella. I just figured it'd give you something to do during the day. Plus, Edward's a good kid, and he runs a good little store," he said, and I nodded.

"I didn't know you and the Cullen's were close," I observed, and he shrugged.

"They're good people. Their daughter Alice is your age," he said.

"I know. I met her at school. She's really nice," I said. "I'm going to go make us some dinner, okay?" I added, walking into the kitchen. I decided on hamburgers and baked beans. I, thankfully, didn't have a whole lot of homework tonight, and had gotten some of it done at the store. I just had to work on my history. After dinner, I cleaned up the kitchen, and went up to my room to work on my homework. Around eleven, I went to bed, tired from a long day.

* * *

The next day, school was hectic, with lots of assignments from almost all my teachers. I sat with Alice at lunch, and she brought up Edward.

"So, how do you like working for my brother?" she asked, and I looked at her confusedly, and she laughed. "Edward's my brother. My parents told me last night that yesterday was your first day. How come you didn't say anything?" she asked, and I shrugged.

"I didn't know he was your brother," I said, and she rolled her eyes.

"Well, he is. He's four years older than me," she explained.

"So he's twenty-two?" I asked, and she nodded. "How's old Evelyn?" I asked, and I could tell I surprised her.

"She's four. You met her?" Alice asked.

"Yeah, he brought her to the store yesterday," I explained.

"Isn't she adorable?" Alice asked, excitement in her voice.

"She is. She proudly stated her name for me. Her full name," I told her, and she laughed again.

"Yeah. She does that with everyone new she meets," she explained.

"So, where's her mom?" I asked, and Alice went still.

"I don't know. She took off when Evelyn was a baby," she explained. How could someone leave their child?

"Oh," I murmured.

"Yeah. We don't talk about her," she added, and I nodded.

"I won't mention anything," I told her, and we moved on to another topic. I made it through the rest of my classes and hurried to the bookstore after school let out. I walked in, said hi to Edward who was putting some books up, and went behind the counter, pulling out my math. I got started on it and quickly grew frustrated.

"Damn Algebra III," I muttered, erasing the problem I'd just screwed up.

"Everything okay, Bella?" Edward asked, walking over.

"Yeah, I just hate math," I answered.

"Let me see if I can help," he said, and I handing him the book. He looked at it for a moment and then walked around the counter to me. He placed the book in front of me and stood behind me, and explained to me what I was doing wrong.

"And then I carry the x over, right?" I asked.

"Very good," he said, and I smiled.

"Thank you, Edward," I said, turning around to face him. As I did, I became much more aware of our positions. He now stood in front of me, arms on either side of my body, and there wasn't a whole lot of space between us. I looked up at him, my heart starting to pound faster and faster. Jesus, I hardly knew this guy. And he was my boss. But, he was gorgeous with his bright green eyes, his coppery hair, and strong build. As I took a deep breath, I breathed in his magnificent scent, making my head slightly spin. He started to lean in, but just as he did, the phone rang, and we both jumped. He looked at me one more time before turning and answering it. I turned back around, wiping my hands over my face. What the fuck was that all about?

* * *

(Edward's POV)

Dear God, what was going on with me? I couldn't be attracted to Bella. One, she was my employee. Two, she was still in high school, and was only eighteen. Three, my life was much too complicated to bring her into it and mess hers up. But, God, when we were up against the counter, with her looking at me like that, I wanted nothing more than to simply kiss the hell out of her. And I would've, if the phone hadn't of rung. When I was done with the call, I went back to my office, and did some work, trying to gather my thoughts. Soon, it was time to close shop, and I did, telling Bella she could go home.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she said as she walked out the door, somewhat quickly. Not that I could blame her. But, I would just make sure nothing like that happened again. I went over to my parent's place, where Evelyn was and where we were having dinner.

"How was the store today?" my mom asked as we stood in the kitchen.

"It was good. Slow, but not too bad," I said.

"How's Bella working out?" she asked.

"She's a good kid. Good worker," I answered, rethinking the incident.

"Charlie's so happy that she came to live with him. And I'm glad too. He's been alone too long," she said, almost as if like a scolding. "You know, it's not healthy to be alone. To not date anyone," she added, and I bit back a laugh. For the past couple of months, my mom had been pestering me to start dating again. And sometimes, like tonight, she would "casually" try to bring it up.

"Mom, I don't want to date," I deadpanned, and she sighed, shaking her head.

"Edward, I understand your concerns about Evelyn and complications, but just a couple of dates wouldn't hurt anyone. I love Evelyn more than anything. But you can't sacrifice everything. You have to do some things for yourself," she said, and I wanted to just say no again, but something told me not to. Plus, maybe if I did date, I wouldn't think about Bella.

"Alright. I'll think about it," I sighed, and Mom beamed.

"I know the perfect girl. Your age, just started as a nurse at the hospital," she trailed off, listing all the good qualities, but I was only half-listening. I hadn't dated in two years. That's when Evelyn's mother ran off. It wasn't that she broke my heart, which she did. It was just that I felt so betrayed that I forgot about dating and focused on Evelyn. She was my world. Without her, I had nothing. I smiled as I watched her play with my dad, pretending to be performing surgery. I was going to be a doctor before Evelyn came, and I knew my father was always sad that I couldn't ever follow in his footsteps, but he forgot about all that the second he held Evelyn. After eating dinner, I took Evelyn home, and we did our nightly routine. I smiled as I put her to bed.

"I love you, monster," I whispered, shutting her door.

"I love you too, Daddy."

* * *

_**Let me know what you think in a review! I hope everyone had wonderful holidays!**_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

(Edward's POV)

In the months that passed since Bella started working for me, I began to feel more relaxed. It was quite a help, having her around. It had only been a couple of months, but I now trusted her enough to let her lock up the store on some nights, so that I could spend some time with Evelyn, who was growing more and more fond of Bella everyday. She would always ask me how Bella was doing or if we were going to see her. It was rather adorable. Bella herself was a very good worker. She showed up on time, never asked for time off, and never complained about working on the weekends. One Friday afternoon, about two months after she got here, Bella walked into the store, looking more happier than usual.

"Did you have a good day today?" I asked as she walked behind the counter, humming softly.

"Yeah, it was pretty good. I don't have any homework tonight, and it's Friday. What's there to not be happy about?" she explained, and I chuckled.

"I'm glad your day went well," I told her. "Now, I got some shipments today, and I need you to stock them," I said, and she nodded, walking to the back and bringing out one of the boxes. As she set about filling the shelves, humming quietly to herself, I looked over some invoices, and worked on the budget. But as I tried to work, my eyes kept wandering to her small frame, stretching to reach some of the higher shelves, a small sliver of skin showing whenever she did. I was attracted to her; I couldn't deny it any longer. In the months that she'd been working here, we'd gotten to know each other. She loved warm weather, but she also enjoyed the rain. She missed her mother terribly, but she liked living with her father. Her favorite author was Jane Austen, she blushed when she got embarrassed, which was often, and she loved the band Shinedown.

But, none of it mattered. I wouldn't date her. She was my employee, and she was still in high school. I wouldn't drag her into my complicate life. Besides, I was dating that nurse my mother had set me up with. Her name was Kendall, and she was nice. Evelyn liked her, not as much as she like Bella, and Kendall seemed to like Evelyn.

"Edward?" Bella's voice brought me out of my thoughts. She looked as if she'd been saying my name for at least a minute.

"Sorry, Bella. I was focused on these invoices," I lied smoothly, holding up the papers. Bella smiled and shook her head.

"I can't reach this one shelf," she said, pointing to the very top shelf. I nodded and walked over to it. She stood in front of me as I easily placed the book there, and she turned to glare at me.

"It pays being tall," I said, smirking. She glared more.

"I'm not that small. I'm taller than Alice," she said, and I laughed. Alice and Bella had become fast friends, which was nice. Alice needed a friend, as did Bella.

"Well, I suppose you are," I said, my voice dropping slightly. I then became aware that Bella was basically trapped between my body and the shelf. Her breath hitched just as I took a deep breath, her scent enveloping my senses. I unconsciously took a step forward, and she titled her head back. My hands itched to touch her, and I was just about to when the bell on the door dinged, alerting me of a customer and breaking the trance. I shook my head quickly and walked up to the front counter, a friendly smile on my face. After the customer left, I went back to my office, shut the door, and held my head in my hands. I picked up the phone and made a call. One was to my mother, asking if she could keep Evelyn overnight. The next was to Kendall.

"Hello?" her voice asked when she answered.

"Kendall? It's Edward. You want to go out tonight?"

* * *

(Bella's POV)

I slept in a little on Saturday morning. I stretched as I woke up, groaning as my muscles tightened. As soon as I was done, my thoughts went to what happened yesterday with Edward. We…almost kissed. And he looked like he wanted to kiss me. But that was impossible. I'd seen his new girlfriend. She was gorgeous. And smart, funny, and really nice. There was no way he would want to kiss me when he had her for a girlfriend. I reached over and turned my cell phone on, getting up as I did so. I went downstairs and saw that Charlie had already left to go fishing, which is something he did almost every weekend. Edward said that I wouldn't have to work today, the first since I'd started working there. I didn't know what to do with the free Saturday.

I decided to call Alice. I figured she'd be up to doing something today. I got a glass of juice as it rang, smiling when she answered with her usual cheeriness.

"Bella! Do you actually have a Saturday off?" she replied when I asked her if she wanted to do something today.

"Oh, come on. It's not that bad. I thought you might want to do a little shopping. I need some new clothes…" I trailed off, grinning when she started shrieking.

"I will pick you up in an hour!" she yelled, and then I heard a click. I laughed as I went upstairs to get ready. I dressed in a pair of jeans, my favorite Shinedown shirt, and my Converses. I also put on light make-up, a rarity for me. I waited by the front door until Alice showed up. I hopped in her car when she pulled up in my driveway, and we sped off to Port Angeles.

"So, how're things with Jasper?" I asked her as we drove, and she lit up. She started talking about how he told her he loved her last night. I awe'd, and she told me how he romantically dipped her back and kissed her when she said she loved him too.

"Oh, Alice, I'm so happy for you," I said, and she beamed.

"He's just…so right for me, you know? I mean, we're opposites in some ways, but we still fit. He's perfect for me," she said, and I smiled.

"Oh, I'm sure you do fit together," I said, raising a brow, and she slapped at me.

"Oh, shut up. I'll have you know that Jasper and I haven't been intimate yet," she said, and I giggled.

"Intimate? What is this, the seventeenth century?" I asked, laughing.

"Look, Jasper says he wants everything to be right. He'll be my first, so he wants it to be everything I want it to be," she explained.

"That's sweet. I'm glad you two found each other," I told her.

"Thanks. Speaking of which, have you ever been…intimate with anyone?" she asked, and I blushed. She glanced at me and did a double-take.

"Oh my God! You've had sex! When?" she yelled, and I covered my ears.

"Jesus, Alice. Stop yelling and I'll tell you," I said, and she closed her mouth and nodded. I sighed and took a deep breath. "I dated this guy, Caleb, for almost two years. Four months ago, I told him I was ready, and…it was perfect. But, when I moved here, we broke things off. He's still one of my best friends, but I don't have any romantic feelings left for him anymore. We still talk a lot, though," I explained.

"I'm sorry you guys had to end things. But I'm glad you're friends," Alice said, and I nodded. Soon, we were pulling up to the mall, and we went inside. We walked into the first store, and after that, it was just a blur of dressing rooms and check-outs. Man, Alice was a fast shopper. We stopped for lunch at the food court, and then, around three, decided to call it a day.

"I wonder if Evelyn's still at the house," Alice wondered as we headed back to Forks.

"Was she there when you left?" I asked, and she nodded.

"She stayed the night last night. Edward had a date," she explained, turning towards me and waggling her eyebrows.

"Oh. I got you," I said, feeling jealous for someone. So, what? Edward had a date with his girlfriend, and she stayed the night. Big deal. He was a grown man. He could do what he wanted. But, that still didn't help me from feeling jealous. I knew I was attracted to him. But I didn't have feelings for him. Or did I?

* * *

Monday, I was running late to work because a boy in my English class, Daniel, and I talked for a while. He asked me out on a date, which I told him I would think about. But, that meant I was running late to work. I'm sure Edward wouldn't be upset, but I still hated to be late. I practically ran into the store, and ran to the back, apologizing on my way.

"I'm so sorry I'm late, Edward. I just, oh!" I stopped dead in my tracks. Kendall, Edward's girlfriend, was perched on his desk, and Edward was standing between her legs, kissing her. He pulled away suddenly when he heard me, and I stammered out and apology, turned and stumbled back out to the counter. I buried my head in my arms in mortification. Nothing like seeing your boss, who you have a mild crush on, make-out with his insanely hot girlfriend on his desk brightens your day. I busied myself with homework and didn't look up as he walked her out an hour later.

"Um, Bella," he said, clearing his throat and sounding uncomfortable. "What you saw…well," he started, but I cut him off.

"It's fine. We'll just pretend like it never happened," I said, and he seemed grateful. After that, things were still a bit awkward for the rest of the day, but I still smiled and waved bye as I left. As I drove home, I tried to push down the little green monster on my back. I wasn't jealous. I just had to keep telling myself that. As I pulled into my driveway, I made a snap decision. I pulled out my cell phone. I pressed in a number and waited while it rang.

"Hello?" a deep voice answered.

"Daniel? It's Bella. About that date…"

* * *

(Edward's POV)

I couldn't believe Bella walked in on Kendall and I making-out. I should've been listening for that damn bell. After Bella left, I picked up Evelyn from my parent's house, chuckling as she launched herself at me.

"Daddy!" she yelled as she raced out the front door. I picked her up and swung her around, tickling her as I did. She shrieked with laughter. After visiting with my parents for a few moments, I took Evelyn home, picking up a pizza on the way.

"Evelyn, how was school today?" I asked her as we ate.

"I painted a picture of me and Sarah, and I got a gold star for being extra-good today!" she exclaimed, and I gasped.

"You got a gold star! You know what that gets?" I asked, and she shook her head, looking excited.

"That deserves…ice cream!" I said, jumping up.

"Yay!" She screamed, jumping up with me. I picked her up and carried her into the kitchen.

"What kind do you want, monster?" I asked, setting her on the counter.

"The green kind!" she said, and I laughed, knowing she meant mint chocolate chip. I got some out, giving her a little extra. I gave it to her, and she took it with eager hands.

"Monster, I wanted to ask you something," I said while she was eating. She looked up at me. "You like Kendall, don't you?" I asked, and she nodded.

"She's nice. She has pretty hair," she said, and I smiled. I was about to say something when she added something. "I like Bella better though. Bella makes you smile more," she said, and I froze. Evelyn continued eating her ice cream. My four-year-old daughter said that Bella made me smile more than my girlfriend. After Evelyn was done, we watched a few shows together before it was time for her bath. I got her bed ready while she splashed around in the tub, her laughter music to my ears. After getting her out and drying her off, I got her in her pajama's, and into bed.

"Daddy?" she asked as I was about to shut the door.

"Yeah, monster?" I asked, coming to sit down beside her.

"I'm still your best girl, right?" she asked, looking down at her blanket. I took her in my arms, pressing my face into her blonde curls.

"Always. You'll always be my best girl."

* * *

The next day the store was busier than usual. I was grateful when Bella showed up. The crowd lasted until thirty minutes before I usually closed the shop. Bella looked tired; I'm sure I looked the same. She blew out a sigh and I nodded.

"I know how you feel. That's the busiest we've been in a while," I said, and she groaned, stretching her neck. I walked up behind her and started massaging it. She moaned softly.

"God, that feels good," she said, and I smirked. I'd always been told I had good hands. After a few minutes, I lessened the pressure and stopped. She turned around to face me.

"Thanks," she murmured. She looked up at me, her deep, brown eyes meeting my green ones. The air around us crackled. My heart started pounding, the blood rushing through my veins. I slowly leaned down as she tipped her head back. There was no phone, no customer, to stop us this time. I stopped just an inch above her lips, letting her warm breath wash over my face. I swallowed thickly.

"Edward," she breathed, and with that one word, I couldn't help myself. I crushed my lips to hers. I took her face between my hands, as her went to my hips, pulling my closer. It felt so right, kissing her. Her lips were soft and warm, her face fitting perfectly between my hands. I swept my tongue across her bottom lip, and she opened her mouth. We both moaned when out tongues met. Her hands moved from my hips into my hair, and mine traveled down to wrap around her waist. Kissing her felt amazing. It was much better than kissing…Kendall. With that one name, I froze. Bella froze as well, sensing my unease. I quickly pulled back and stepped away.

"Oh God," I muttered, running my hands through my hair, where Bella's hands had just been. "Oh God," I groaned.

"Edward, what's wrong?" she asked, reaching out to touch me. I quickly stepped back. Pain flashed across her face, but she quickly covered it.

"Bella, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have kissed you," I said, and her hand dropped back to her side.

"Oh. I see," she said, looking at the ground. "We can pretend like it never happened, I guess," she murmured, and I nodded.

"I'm sorry," I said, then turned and walked back to my office, shutting the door. What the fuck had I just done?

* * *

_**I'm very, very, very sorry for the delay in an update. Real life had been kicking my ass and then some, lately. If I still have any readers left, I thank you profusely for still sticking with me. So, Edward and Bella kissed. What do you think's going to happen now? The next chapter will be up NO LATER than next Friday. I hope you enjoyed it! Let me know what you think in a review!**_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

(Edward's POV)

The two weeks following the kiss were awkward. Bella and I hardly spoke, and when we did, it was just short answers and uncomfortable silences. God, that kiss was amazing. I'd never had a kiss like that before, and I wanted to kiss her again. And again and again and do other things as well. But I couldn't do that. Not only was I dating Kendall, but Bella was just eighteen. She was still in high school. I was a twenty-two-year-old father with his own store. Bella should be enjoying her youth, and she shouldn't be tied up with someone with as many responsibilities as I had. That didn't stop me, however, from imaging us together. I could picture it quite easily, though I didn't always want to. Us walking down the street, holding hands. Bella laughing and smiling. Bella picking up and holding Evelyn, taking the role of her mother. Bella and I…in my bed, making love, holding each other as close as possible.

These thoughts were always there, in the back of my mind, popping up at random times. I would watch her while she worked, her graceful movement always attracting my attention. I know I sounded like a complete ass when I said that our kiss was a mistake. But Bella and I couldn't be involved. I hadn't been seriously involved with anyone since Evelyn's mother. Things with Kendall were somewhat serious, yes, but I didn't love her. And I don't know if I ever would. She was beautiful, smart, funny, good with Evelyn, and was very caring. But, there was no spark. And I think, on some level, she realized this.

A ding brought me out of my thoughts. I heard Bella's laugh, and I smiled. But the smiled quickly faded when I heard another laugh. It was a deep laugh, a man's laugh. Bella had brought another guy to work. I walked out my office and saw them. Bella was behind the counter, and the guy was in front of it, his arms resting on top, him leaning towards Bella. I cleared my throat. Bella looked up and blushed. The guy looked over at me and smiled in a friendly way. I half-smiled.

"Oh, hey, Edward," Bella said, sounding nervous. "I hope you don't mind, but Daniel wanted to see your store…" she trailed off, looking at the floor. My arms were folded across my chest, and I knew my expression was not the most welcoming. Jealousy was consuming me.

"It's fine," I said brusquely. Bella looked up at me quickly, and surprise flashed across her face. Did she see the envy on my face?

"I'm Daniel," the guy, Daniel, said, taking a few steps towards me and holding out his hand.

"Edward," I told him, shaking his hand. I appraised him. He was about as tall as me, not as well-built, with short, brown hair and brown eyes. I smirked as I mentally compared myself to him. I don't like to brag, but I knew I was good-looking. I like to think I was better than this Daniel kid.

"Okay, well, I'll just show you around, Daniel," Bella said, stepping out from behind the counter. She shot me a look as she passed, a look I couldn't understand, and grabbed Daniel's hand, leading him past me towards the back aisles. I took a deep breath and walked to the front counter. Bella's scent was still lingering, and it enveloped my senses. I let it calm me. I heard giggling and fought back an eye-roll. I glanced up just in time to see Daniel lean down and kiss Bella. I snapped the pencil I was holding. I briefly thought about what I was going to do, knowing Bella would be pissed at me if I did. I decided to do it anyway.

"Bella," I called out, loudly and in a voice that said I saw what had just happened. I heard a little thump and imagined that Bella had jumped back from Daniel. "I need you to help me move around some things in the back," I said, and I heard a sigh.

"I'll call you tonight, okay?" I heard Bella's soft voice say, and I heard Daniel murmur his goodbye. I didn't look up as he left, and nearly smirked as I heard Bella's huff and then her walked towards the back. I followed her, chuckling to myself. I walked into the back room, and found Bella pacing.

"You okay, Bella?" I asked, and she stopped and glared at me.

"What the hell was that, Edward?" she snapped, and I raised my eyebrow.

"What was what?" I asked, taking a step towards her.

"You don't need my help back here! And you nearly broke Daniel's hand and practically snarled your hello," she said, and I shook my head. "If you didn't want me to bring him here, you could've said so," she said and my head snapped up.

"How was I suppose to know that you wanted to bring him here? Christ Bella, you haven't hardly spoken to me in the past two weeks!" I said, and she glared at me.

"Whose fault is that? It's not like you've tried to talk to me, either!" she said, and she did have a point. "What's the big deal about me bringing him, anyway?"

"Because you'll get distracted with him here," I said, and she scoffed.

"Bullshit. I saw that look in your eyes. There's something more," she challenged, and I froze, coming up with no response. "So, what is it, Edward? What's the big fucking deal about Daniel?" she asked, and I couldn't stop the words before they spilled out of my mouth.

"Because I don't want you dating him! I don't want you dating anyone, Bella, except me! I like you, okay. I like you a whole hell of a lot! I was lying through my teeth when I said that kiss was a mistake. So there it is. That's the big fucking deal," I said, and then turned and walked out. I briefly saw the look of utter surprise on her face as I turned to the door. I walked to my office and shut the door. A few moments later I heard the backroom door shut. I sat back in my office for the rest of the afternoon, contemplating what the hell I was suppose to do. And when Bella came back to my office before she left, I had absolutely no idea.

* * *

(Bella's POV)

I stood there, shocked, while Edward walked to his office, not once looking at me. He…liked me? I couldn't believe it. He said our kiss was a mistake. And he hadn't hardly spoken to me in the past two weeks. But, the jealousy in his eyes when he say Daniel proved that he didn't want me to date anyone but him. For the rest of the afternoon, I thought about what I going to do. I liked Daniel. He was funny, cute, smart, and very caring. But Edward…Edward was different. There was a charge with Edward. A pull that forced me to look whenever he walked in a room. I couldn't deny that. I also couldn't deny that it wasn't like that with Daniel. So, I was nervous when I walked back to the office right before I left. He was standing in front of his desk, his back to me.

"Edward," I said, and my voice shook. I cleared my throat and spoke again. "Edward, it's five o'clock," I said, and he turned.

"Oh. Alright, you can go," he said. I took a deep breath. I turned, but only so that I could shut the door. He turned and looked at me in surprise. I took a step towards him.

"Did you mean it?" I asked, and he looked at me.

"Did I meant what?" he asked, and I shook my head, smiling.

"Did you mean what you said before? About liking me?" I asked, and this time, it was him that took a deep breath. He seemed to war with himself on whether or not to be honest not only with me, but with himself as well.

"Yes," he finally whispered. That was all it took. I walked up to him, stretched myself up on my tiptoes, and kissed him. He was surprised, but only for a moment. Then, his arms wound their way around my waist, and he kissed me back. It was a hungry, demanding kiss. His hands seized my hips as mine went into his hair. Our lips moved perfectly together. My body hummed with electricity and my heart pounded. Kissing him felt so…so utterly right. Like he was the man who I was always suppose to kiss. His tongue traced my lip, and I opened my mouth, and moaned when our tongues met. That seemed to spur him on, and he back us up to the door, and then our bodies were pressed as close together as possible. I could feel his muscular chest and abdomen against mine. He dragged his lips away from mine and kissed down my jaw to my neck. His paused for a second, and then bit down. I cried out a little in pleasure, and I swear I felt his lips smirk against my skin. He brought his lips back to mine, and cupped my face between his hands, and the kissed became more gently. Finally, he pulled away and leaned his forehead against mine.

"Edward," I whispered, and he closed his eyes.

"Bella…are you sure? I have a complicated life. Are you sure you want to be a part of it in this way?" he asked. He looked like he almost wanted me to say no.

"Edward, I'm sure. I care about you, and I want to be with you," I told him, and then reached up and kissed him. He kissed me back.

"Do you mind if we just keep this between us for a while? I don't want to deal with our families quite just yet," he said, and I understood what he meant. While my father was good friends with the Cullen's, he might not be so okay with my dating Edward, who was four years older than me and had a daughter.

"That sounds perfect to me," I said. I slipped out of his arms and opened the door. "Do I need to work tomorrow?" I asked, and he shook his head.

"I could do without you tomorrow," he said, and I nodded.

"Okay," I said, and then, more nervously, added, "Can I call you tonight?" He smiled.

"Of course," he said. I smiled before turning. But, before I could walk away, he grabbed my wrist and pulled me back to him, a devilish smirk on his face. Needless to say, I was late getting home.

* * *

The following week was…blissful. As Edward and I spent more time together, I felt myself falling harder. The way he spoke, the way he walked, everything attracted me to him. The way he smile when he talked about Evelyn. The look in his eyes he got when I know he wanted to kiss me. The ways his fingers traced gently along my skin as we kissed. Breaking up with Daniel had been difficult. I hated hurting him, but I wanted to be with Edward, and I would not hurt Daniel worse by cheating on him. A little over a week after Edward and I got together, I flipped the sign to CLOSE and walked back to the office. Edward was studying paperwork, and I thought of a plan. I went over to his desk and plopped down on it. He looked up at me in surprise. I took his hands and pulled him up and over to stand in front of me. With me sitting on the desk, it made us the same height. He smirked as he realized what I wanted, and kissed me.

He stood between my open legs, his hands grasping my thighs. Hesitantly, I brought on leg up to wrap around his waist, and he seemed to like it. He pulled up my other leg so that both my legs were wrapped around his waist, pulling him closer. After kissing for an immeasurable amount of time, we pulled away, knowing we had to go soon. He kissed me once more on the lips and then picked me up and set me on the floor. He laughed lightly.

"You better get home. We wouldn't want Charlie to get suspicious," he said, and I nodded. I kissed him on the cheek and left, feeling lighter and happier than I had in a while.

* * *

(Edward's POV)

I couldn't believe Bella and I were together. It amazed me that she wanted to be with me. I broke up with Kendall that night. She seemed surprised, and hurt, but also resigned. She said she bared no ill-will towards me, and we agreed to remain friends. After leaving the store, I went to my parents house and picked up Evelyn.

"Daddy!" she shouted when I walked through the door. I reached down and ruffled her hair.

"How's my monster?" I asked, and she beamed up at me, and started telling me all the details of her day. I listened to every word, soaking up everything she said. It was hard to believe that when her mother and I first found out about her, I didn't want her. I was eighteen, and I had just graduated high school. I was going to go to NYU in a couple of months, with her mother, and major in History, Pre-Law. I remember the day her mother told me.

_I went over to her house to spend the day with her. When I got there and she opened the door, I could tell that she'd been crying. _

"_Baby, what is it?" I asked pulling her into my arms. She sniffled against my chest, and I held her closer._

"_Edward, I have to tell you something," she whispered, and I stilled. Those words never boded well. "Come into my room," she said, pulling me by the hand up the stairs and to her room. We sat down on her bed, and I rubber her knee. _

"_Babe, what's wrong?" I asked. She took a deep breath and looked at me, her blue eyes filled with fear and worry. _

"_Edward, I'm pregnant," she whispered, and I froze. For several seconds, everything seemed to stop. I could hear, see, feel nothing. The only sound was my heart beating furiously in my chest. _

"_Wh-what?" I choked out, and she started crying. _

"_I'm pregnant. I'm five weeks late, and I took four tests, and they all came out positive," she explained, her voice cracking. I concentrated very hard and breathing evenly. God, was awful. How were we suppose to go to NYU? How could we raise a fucking kid? This would ruin everything. _

"_Edward? Say something," she said, and I looked at her. _

"_What're we going to do?"_

Now, seeing her beautiful blonde curls, her bright, excited eyes, I regret every word I spoke against having her. My life would be incomplete with her. The day she was born, the first time I held her, I fell in love. I vowed right then and there to never let her down.

"Daddy, pay attention!" Evelyn commanded, and I smiled. She was my whole world. If Evelyn hadn't been born, I would probably be miserable at NYU. And then my thoughts wondered to her mother. I wondered where she was, what she was doing. And I wondered if she ever missed the beautiful little girl that was her daughter. And then I wondered if she would ever try to come back into her life. And if she did, would I let her?

* * *

_**I'm so very sorry that this story wasn't updated when I said it would be. My computer crashed, and I just now got it back. And, hasn't been letting me add a new chapter, so that also slowed me down. I'm really, really, sorry and I hope you guys are still with me. So, Edward and Bella are together! But, it's not always going to be easy. These two face some tough times. Let me know what you think in a review!**_


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

(Bella's POV)

On a Saturday, about a month after Edward had started seeing each other, I was at home, making dinner, when my phone rang. I answered, not seeing who it was calling me.

"Hello?" I said, my voice breathless because I had to run to the living room to get my phone.

"Hello, beautiful," Edward said, and I smiled and blushed.

"Hey. How're you?" I asked.

"I'm good. I'm about to go drop off Evelyn at my parent's house to spend the night," he explained. I could hear Evelyn chattering excitedly in the background, and I smiled again. I loved that little girl.

"A night to yourself. You must be excited," I murmured, stirring spaghetti sauce I was cooking.

"Actually…I was wondering if you wanted to maybe come over for a while tonight. You haven't seen my place yet, and I thought it might be nice to see each other someplace other than the store," he explained, and I bit back a girly squeal.

"I would love to. Just let me make dinner first and eat, and then I'll be over," I told him, and I heard him chuckle. I loved his laugh.

"Okay. Let me know when you leave. I'll see you soon, love," he said.

"See you soon," I breathed, and then hung up. I did a little dance in the kitchen. This past month had been amazing. Edward was kind, sweet, funny, loving, smart, and so good to me. He made me feel so special. We talked about everything and anything. He told me how hard it was when Evelyn's mother left and he wasn't sure if he'd be able to raise his daughter on his own. He told me how wonderful his parent's were, and how they helped him. He loved his siblings, Alice and Emmett. Emmett was twenty-four, married and lived in San Francisco as a sports agent with his wife, Rosalie, and their newborn baby, Brianna. Alice was my age, and was going to Berkley next year. Alice and I had become good friends since I'd moved here. Her and Jasper were crazy about each other. We still hadn't told anyone, but I didn't mind.

My dad coming home from work startled my thoughts. I could hear him moving around, hanging up his belt and going through the mail,

"Bells?" He called, and I laughed.

"In here, Dad," I answered, and he walked in.

"You got something in the mail. It's from the University of San Diego" he said. My dream school. I slowly turned around. My dad held the thick envelope in his hand. He was grinning. "It's pretty big. You know what that means?" he asked.

"Shh, Dad! Let me see it," I said, and he chuckled. He held it out to me, and I took it hesitantly, as if it might bite me. I stared at it. I opened it, closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and reached it and pulled out the contents. I opened my eyes. _Dear Ms. Swan, we are pleased…_ "Ah! I got in! I got in!" I screamed, and my dad smiled. I hugged him, and he nearly lifted me off of the floor.

"Congratulations Bells," he said, and I kissed his cheek.

"I can't believe it," I whispered. I was going to San Diego.

Later on that night, I pulled up to Edward's house. It was a small, charming house, with a homey feel to it. I got out of my truck and walked to his front door. I knocked, and he opened it almost instantly. He was smiling. I grinned back at him. He pulled inside by my hand, and as soon as the door shut, he kissed me. He cupped my face between his strong hands, and his tongue swept my bottom lip. I opened my mouth, and nearly moaned when his tongue touched mine. I think I may have a little, though, because he moved his hands from my face to my hands, burying themselves in my brown waves, securing my face to his. My hands gripped his shoulders, pulling him closer. After an uncountable amount of minutes passed, our kisses grew slower, and he pulled away.

"I would love it very much if you always greeted me that way," I told him and he led me towards the living room.

"I'll try," he said, and I laughed. "What'd you tell your dad?" he asked.

"I told him you were helping me with my math," I explained. "I got some good news today," I added, and he turned to face me.

"What's that?" he asked, and I took a deep breath.

"I got into San Diego," I said, and a breathtaking smile broke out on his face. He picked me up and spun me around, laughing as he did so. When he set me down, he kissed me.

"That's wonderful, baby. I'm so proud of you," he whispered against my lips.

"Thank you," I whispered back. He kissed me again, and there was something different about this kiss. It was more charged. There was a fierceness, an urgency, behind it. He backed up until the back of his knees hit the couch. He sat down and pulled me down with him so that I was straddling him. A fire was burning through my veins, heating me from the inside. My heart was pounding. He kissed his way down my neck to the space where it met my shoulder. He bit down and I moaned. My hands went to his hair, and I shifted closer to him. As I did, my hips moved, and I felt him hard beneath me. His hands seized my hips. We were both still for a moment. I pulled back slightly to look at him. His face was flushed, his eyes half-lidded. The bright green of his eyes was now darker, ablaze with lust and want.

"Edward," I whispered, and he pulled my face towards his for a searing kiss. His hands began to move my hips, and I moaned loudly at the friction it created. He dropped his head to rest on my shoulder, and I could feel him breathing harshly on my skin. I leaned down and gently bit his neck, which caused him to buck up his hips. The movement made Edward drop his head back and groan. I took his hands and slid them up my chest. He cupped my breasts over my shirt at first, and then slid back down, only to go back up, this time underneath my shirt. His hands grasped them, kneading gently.

"My God," he breathed against the skin of my neck. "You're so damn beautiful." He moved so that we were now laying down on the couch, him hovering over me. One hand moved to cup my face while the other was braced next to my head, holding himself up. He smiled at me, and I smiled back, pulling him down for a kiss. His hand trailed down from my face, past my breasts, down my stomach, to the button of my jeans. He paused there, and he pulled back from the kiss, silently asking permission. I nodded. He made quick work of the button, and slid his hand down beneath my underwear. He groaned again when he felt how wet I was. One finger slid up and down my folds, making me whimper.

He traced up and down a few times, before pushing his fingers in. When he did, I cried out, and he silenced my cries with his mouth. One of my hands went down into his pants and grasped his cock, his breath leaving his body in a gust as I did so. He began to move his fingers faster, and his hips began thrusting against my hand. He brought his lips to mine, kissing me almost painfully, his tongue thrusting into my mouth. This just made me more wet, and I began to lift my hips up with his. He removed his hand from my pants, and dragged my shirt up until I sat up and threw it off. Our hips kept moving, thrusting against each other, and my hands clawed down his back. Soon, my body was shuddering and I was crying out again with my release. He moved his hips a few more times, and then stilled. We laid there, panting, for a while. Finally, he brought his head up from my shoulder and kissed me. He sat up, leaning down and handing me my shirt. I pulled it back on and button my pants back up. I reached over and pecked him on the lips.

"And I would love it if every time I had good news, you congratulated me that way."

* * *

(Edward's POV)

Last night with Bella was amazing. I was so happy for her when she announced her acceptance into San Diego. Then how I "congratulated" her was indescribable. I felt myself falling more for Bella every day. I told her stuff I hadn't even told Emmett. She was great with Evelyn. She was smart, beautiful, funny, charming, and caring. I kept replaying last night as I went to go pick up Evelyn from my parent's place. As I walked through their front door, I was assaulted with the smell of fresh-baked cookies. My mom loved to spoil Evelyn. I walked into the kitchen to see my mom putting cookies on a plate and Evelyn watching. My mom looked up, saw me, and smiled.

"Hello, Edward," she said, and Evelyn turned and saw me.

"Daddy!" she yelled, running at me. I scooped her up and hugged her.

"How're you, monster?" I asked, and she launched into detail about her night. I plopped her down on the counter, kissed my mom on the cheek, stole a cookie, and leaned against the counter next to my daughter. I listened to every word she said, loving every moment of it. On the way home, she asked about Bella.

"Daddy?" she asked.

"Yeah?" I replied, smiling.

"Do you like Bella?" she asked, and I froze.

"Of course I like her, monster. She's a nice person," I replied, and my four-year-old daughter rolled her eyes at me like I was stupid.

"No, Daddy. I meant do you like her? Like Grandpa and Grandma like each other?" she asked, like I was simple-minded. I thought of how to answer this. I didn't want to lie to her. But I wasn't sure if I wanted to tell everyone that Bella and I were together. I decided to answer as best as I could.

"I'm not sure, Evelyn. But let's just keep this between you and me, okay?" I explained, and she nodded. I let out a breath. I knew Evelyn thought the world of Bella. I knew Bella loved Evelyn. I was just worried that if Evelyn knew Bella and I were dating, she would start asking question about her mother. And I didn't want to tell my daughter that her mother abandoned her. I knew that conversation would have to come about soon. I just wanted to put it off. I looked back at the girl in my backseat that held my heart. She was my whole world. I would do anything I could to make her to be happy.

"Daddy, can we get a puppy?" she asked.

Well, almost anything.

* * *

Three days later, it was busy at the store. It was getting close to Christmas, and people wanted Christmas presents. I was relieved when Bella walked in after school. She hurriedly threw her backpack in my office, and started to help out the customers. I had to keep the shop open past the usually closing time, and I know Evelyn would be worried. She always did when I was late. Finally, around six o'clock, I flipped the sign from OPEN to CLOSED. I leaned against the door, exhausted.

"God, that was crazy," I groaned, rolling my neck.

"I agree," Bella said, walking out from behind the counter. She walked back to the office and I followed. I wrapped my arms around her from behind and kissed the side of her neck. "Thank you for the help," I murmured, my lips still against her neck.

"Edward, I'm your employee. It's my job," she laughed, turning to face me. I kissed her gently, cupping her face. She sighed, a smile forming on her face.

"I know. But you're still a very big help," I told her, and she smirked.

"Do you say that to all the girls?" she joked, and I laughed, letting her go.

"Only you, babe. Only you," I said, and she looked at me over her shoulder, winking. She grabbed her backpack and turned back to face me.

"I have to go. Charlie will be wondering where I am," she told me, and I nodded. "You need me for tomorrow?" she asked.

"Yeah. Come after school," I said, and she walked over to me, kissed me quickly and then left. I went through the register drawer, putting it the bag for deposit. I finished some paperwork, shut everything down, and then left. I drove to my parent's house, and picked up Evelyn. She kept asking me if we could get puppy. I was finding it difficult to say no.

"I promise I'll take care of it, Daddy. Sarah has a puppy," she pleaded. She was wearing me down, and she knew it. "Daddy, it can be my birthday present!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands. Her birthday was coming up.

"Okay, monster. I'll consider it. Okay?" I said, and she beamed. She jumped up and down, and I picked her up, carrying her screaming through out house.

"Daddy! Daddy, stop!" she shrieked through her laughter. I set her down on the couch and began tickling her. Her laughter was music to my ears. I finally stopped after she was pink in the face, and then sat down next to her. We watched a little TV together before I started getting her ready for bed. After I read her two stories, I turned on her nightlight, kissed her forehead, and shut her door. I only made one my hour before I went to bed. I thought about for everything as I got ready. I really liked Bella. She was great. I wanted to tell people, but I knew that it would just make things complicated. I sometimes thought that she'd be better off not dating me. My life complicated. She was still in high school. But she says none of that matters. I smiled as I thought about her, and that's how I fell asleep.

The next day, Evelyn was at the store with Bella and me. She didn't know it, but today after I closed, I was taking her to get a puppy. I was going to the local animal shelter, and it was going to be her early birthday present. I looked at Bella and Evelyn coloring a picture, and I smiled. Bella just looked so natural with her. At five, Bella left, winking at me as she did so.

"Evelyn, you ready?" I asked, and she nodded. I locked up, loaded her up in the car, and drove the pound.

"Daddy, where are we going?" she asked, looking out her window. I grinned. "It's a surprise," I replied, and she huffed. When we got the shelter, she still hadn't figured it out. It wasn't until we walked inside and she saw all the animals that she gasped.

"Are we getting a puppy?" she asked, looking up at me. I nodded. She gasped again and jumped at me. I picked her up and hugged her close. "Thank you, Daddy!" she said. She looked around, eyes wide with excitement. We looked around for a while, until she finally picked out a little girl that was part Beagle, part Golden Shepherd. She named it Haley. Haley licked Evelyn's face, yapping and wagging her tail. I knew that it wasn't going to be easy, but as I looked at them playing together later on that night, and seeing how happy Evelyn was, I couldn't bring myself to mind.

* * *

_**I'm sorry I haven't updated. These past couple of weeks have been crazy. I've been studying fot tests, and this week I had finals. I'm done with my first year at college! Things between Edward and Bella are getting hot, aren't they? And Edward for Evelyn a puppy! We'll see how that all turns out soon. Now that I'm on summer break, my updates WILL be more regular. Let me know what you think in a review. **_


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